Cross-domain memory access via torn context entry
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
Race condition in the Linux Kernel VT-d IOMMU allows local users to read or write memory across an assigned DMA isolation boundary. During context teardown, multiple 64-bit stores zero a 128-bit entry while its Present bit can remain set, letting hardware fetch mixed old and new fields. Reachability requires local CAP_SYS_ADMIN-level IOMMU control and precise timing; a successful race permits cross-domain device DMA and can hang or crash the system.
Summary
What happened
Race condition in the Linux Kernel VT-d IOMMU allows local users to read or write memory across an assigned DMA isolation boundary. During context teardown, multiple 64-bit stores zero a 128-bit entry while its Present bit can remain set, letting hardware fetch mixed old and new fields. Reachability requires local CAP_SYS_ADMIN-level IOMMU control and precise timing; a successful race permits cross-domain device DMA and can hang or crash the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-45944
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1499.004, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 27, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.24
- Affected versionversion=ba39592764ed20cee09aae5352e603a27bf56b0d <a922dbafb4a674d958d702038232d09a30daf770
- Affected versionversion=ba39592764ed20cee09aae5352e603a27bf56b0d <c1e4f1dccbe9d7656d1c6872ebeadb5992d0aaa2
- Affected versionversion=ba39592764ed20cee09aae5352e603a27bf56b0d <d2138abc8f0a7fce4101b7229b43b06811ed083d
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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